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THE 

SCHOOL LAW 

OF ILLINOIS 




ENACTED BY THE 

Forty-ninth General Assembly 

[Printed by Authority of the State of Illinois.] 



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THE 



SCHOOL LAW 

OF ILLINOIS 



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ENACTED BY THE 

Forty-ninth General Assembly 

[Printed by Authority of the State of Illinois.] 

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SCHNEPP & B.VRXES, StATE PRINTERS 

Springfield, III. 
1915. 

De of De 
MAY 23 1917 



■^ SHOWING LENGTH OF TERM OF SCHOOL— 1914. 




I \^A^lA^f 



CIRCULAR 87. 



FOR THE STATE SCHOOL FUND. 

An Act to provide for the ordinary and contingent expenses of the 

State government until the expiration of the fiscal quarter after the 

adjournment of the next regular session of the General Assembly. 

Section 1. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 

represented in the General Assembly : That the following named sums, 

or so much thereof as may be necessary, respectively, for the purposes 

hereinafter named, be, and are hereby, appropriated to meet the 

ordinary and contingent expenses of the State government, until the 

expiration of the first fiscal quarter after the adjournment of the next 

General Assembly : 

Nineteenth. — To the Auditor of Public Accounts, the sum of 
$4,000,000 annually, out of the State School Fund, to pay the amount 
of the Auditor's orders for the distribution of said fund to the several 
counties, and for the payment of the salary and expenses of county 
superintendents of schools as now provided by law, and for the amount 
to be paid into the Illinois State Teachers' Pension and Retirement 
Fund in accordance with the provisions of an Act entitled, ''An Act in 
relation to an Illinois State Teachers' Pension and Retirement Fund, 
approved May 27, 1915, in force July 1, 1915." The Auditor shall 
issue his warrants to the State Treasurer on the proper evidence that 
the amount distributed has been paid to the county superintendents. 

Approved June 30, 1915. 



BONDS. 



An Act giving to the board of education of any school district having 
a population of less than 100,000 inhabitants, and existing by virtue 
of any special charter and governed by any or all such special char- 
ters, the power to borrow money for certain purposes and issue 
negotiable coupon bonds therefor, and providing that the proposition 
or question to borrow money and issue such bonds shall be submitted 
to the voters of such school district. 

Section 1. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 
represented in the General Assembly: That the board of education of 
any school district having a population of less than 100,000 inhabitants, 
and existing by virtue of any special charter and governed by any or 



6 

all such special charters, is hereby empowered and authorized to bor- 
row money for the purpose of building schoolhouses, or repairing or 
altering any schoolhouse already erected, or purchasing schoolhouse 
sites or purchasing school grounds adjacent to or adjoining any school- 
house site, or separated therefrom only by a public street or way, and 
to issue its negotiable coupon bonds therefor, in such form and such 
denominations, payable at such place and at such time or times (not 
exceeding twenty years from date of issuance) and bearing interest at 
such rates as said board of education may by resolution prescribe. 
Such bonds shall be in denominations of not less than $100.00 nor more 
than $1,000.00, and shall bear interest at a rate not to exceed five per 
centum per annum, payable semi-annually : Provided, that no money 
shall be borrowed or bonds issued unless the proposition or question 
to borrow money and issue bonds for the purpose or purposes and in 
the amount prescribed in said resolution shall be submitted to the vot- 
ers of such school district at some general or special election held in 
such school district, or at a special election called for such purpose 
and the majority of all the votes cast shall be in favor of such propo- 
sition : Provided, further, that no such board of education or school 
district shall incur any indebtedness hereunder, which together with all 
other outstanding indebtedness, exceeds in the aggregate five (5) per 
centum on the value of taxable property of such school district, to be 
ascertained by the last assessment for State and county taxes previous 
to the incurring of such indebtedness. 

§ 2. Whenever it is desired to submit to the voters of any school 
district to which this Act applies, the proposition or question to borrow 
money and issue bonds for any or all of the purposes specified in this 
Act, the president or secretary of the board of education of such 
school district shall, in writing, direct the county clerk or board of 
election commissioners, or other authority required by law, to give 
notice of general elections held within the city, town or county wherein 
such school district is situated, to give notice that such proposition 
or question shall be submitted to the voters of such school district, 
upon such date as the president or secretary shall have in writing 
specified. And thereupon such county clerk, board of election commis- 
sioners or such other authority shall post or cause to be posted a 
notice in some public place in each election precinct within such school 
district, twenty (20) days prior to the date of the election at which 
such proposition or question shall be submitted to the voters of such 
school district, or publish or cause to be published once each week 
for two successive weeks, a notice in some secular newspaper of gen- 
eral circulation in and published in the city, town or county wherein 
such school district is situated, stating that such proposition or question 
shall be submitted to the voters of such school district. The time and 
place or places of election shall be specified in such notice, and the 
proposition or question to be voted upon at such election shall be stated 
therein. 

§ 3. The ballot to be used at any election when said proposition 
or question shall be submitted to the voters of any school district to 
which this Act applies, shall be a separate distinct ballot, and the total 
amount of the bonds sought to be issued, and the specific purpose or 
purposes for which said bonds shall be issued shall be stated on said 



ballot. The ballot used at such election shall be substantially in the 
following form: 



Shall bonds or obligations for the purpose 
of (state specific purpose) in the sum 

of $ 00 be issued by the board 

of education of 


Yes 




No 





The ballots cast at such election shall be canvassed, and the result 
of such election shall be entered of record and certified to as provided 
by law for other elections in such districts. 

§ 4. All bonds authorized to be issued under and by virtue of this 
Act, before being issued, negotiated and sold shall be signed by the 
president of the board of education of the school district for the bene- 
fit of which said bonds shall be issued, and attested by the secretary 
of such board of education, and countersigned by the treasurer of 
such board of education or of such school district. All of such bonds 
shall be numbered by such treasurer and registered in a book provided 
for such purpose. All moneys borrowed under and by virtue of this 
Act shall be paid into the treasury of such board of education or of 
such school district, and thereupon the treasurer thereof shall deliver 
the bond or bonds therefor to the person, persons, corporation or cor- 
porations entitled to receive the same. Such treasurer shall record the 
exact amount for which each bond shall be issued, negotiated and sold, 
and when any bond shall be paid, the treasurer shall duly cancel the 
same and enter in the register opposite the record of such bond the 
date, month and year when said bond was paid. 

§ 5. This Act shall not be construed to repeal ''An Act to authorize 
certain school districts to issue bonds for certain purposes," approved 
and in force May 10, 1901. 

Approved June 39, 1915. 



CERTIFICATES. 

An Act to amend section 6 of an Act entitled, ''An Act to provide for 
the certification of teachers,'' approved June 28, 191 3, in force July 

I, I9H- ... 

Section 1. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 

represented in the General Assembly: That section 6 of an Act 

entitled, "An Act to provide for the certification of teachers," approved 

June 28, 1913, in force July 1, 1914, be and the same hereby is amended 

so as to read as follows : 

§ 6. County certificates granted by the county superintendent and 
the requirements for the same shall be as follows : 

First. — A third grade elementary scliool certiticate. vahd for one 
year in the first eight grades of the common schools of the county in 
which it is issued and in no other county, 'lliis certificate shall be 
renewable once only and on evidence satisfactory to the county super- 



8 

intendent of three months' successful teaching or six weeks' profes- 
sional training. Applicants for this certificate shall be examined in 
orthography, civics, Illinois history, physiology, penmanship, reading, 
grammar, geography, United States history, arithmetic, and the prin- 
ciples and methods of the State course of study. This certificate shall 
not be issued the second time to the same person. At the option of 
the county superintendent this certificate may be issued without exam- 
ination to persons who have successfully completed two years of work 
in a recognized normal school, or one year of such work if the appli- 
cant is a graduate of the tenth grade. 

Second. — A second grade elementary school certificate valid for 
two years in the first eight grades of the common schools of the 
county and in the ninth and tenth grades when endorsed for the same 
by the county superintendent. This certificate shall be renewable on 
evidence satisfactory to the county superintendent of six months' suc- 
cessful teaching or twelve weeks' professional training, and a second 
time if in the period following the date of issue the holder shall have 
acquired eighteen weeks' professional training in any recognized school 
providing such training, and, thereafter, the same shall be renewable 
indefinitely for periods of two years upon evidence of successful teach- 
ing and professional growth satisfactory to the county superintendent. 

The applicant for this certificate shall be examined in orthography, 
civics, Illinois history, physiology, penmanship, reading, grammar, 
geography. United States history, arithmetic, elementary science, ped- 
agogy, and the principles and methods of the State course of study. 
At the option of the county superintendent this certificate may be 
issued without examination to persons who have completed the junior 
year's work in a recognized normal school, or its equivalent. 

Third. — A first grade elementary school certificate, valid for three 
years in the first ten grades of the common schools of the county, and 
in the high school when endorsed for the same by the county superin- 
tendent. This cerjiificate shall be renewable indefinitely for periods of 
three years, upon evidence of successful teaching and professional 
growth satisfactory to the county superintendent. The requirements 
for this form of certificate shall be: (1) Graduation from a recog- 
nized high school, or an equivalent preparation; (2) six months of 
successful teaching, and (3) an examination in orthography, including 
spelling, civics, Illinois history, physiology, penmanship, reading, gram- 
mar, geography. United States history, arithmetic, pedagogy, English, 
algebra, general history, and any three of the following natural 
sciences : Botany, zoology, physics, chemistry and physiography. 
This certificate shall be issued to graduates of a recognized normal 
school, or from an institution offering an equivalent preparation, 
provided the applicant has had one year of successful practice teaching, 
and applies for the certificate within three years after graduation. 

Fourth. — A high school certificate, valid for three years in the 
high schools, and also in the seventh and eighth grades of the county. 

This certificate shall be renewable indefinitely for periods of three 
years on evidence satisfactory to the county superintendent of success- 
ful teaching or supervision and professional growth. The require- 
ments for this form of certificate shall be: (1) Graduation from a 



recogmzed high school, or an equivalent preparation; (2) a certificate 
showing the completion of at least two years' successful work in any 
recognized higher institution of learning, and (3) an examination in 
English, pedagogy, and six high school subjects, three majors and 
three minors, chosen from a list prescribed by the examining board 
hereinafter provided for: Provided, however, that graduates of a 
recognized normal school, college or university may offer w^ithin three 
years after graduation, certified credits in lieu of examination in the 
above subjects accompanied by faculty recommendations of ability to 
teach in the high school. 

Fifth. — A supervisory certificate, valid for three years for 
supervisory work in any district in the county and for teaching in the 
schools supervised by the holder. This certificate shall be renewable 
for three-year periods on satisfactory evidence of successful teaching 
or supervision, and of professional growth. The requirements of this 
certificate shall be: (1) Graduation from a recognized high school 
and at least two years' work in a recognized higher institution, one of 
which shall have been in a normal school, or an equivalent preparation ; 
(2) two years' successful teaching or supervision, and (3) a successful 
examination in English, educational psychology, the history of educa- 
tion, and school administration. 

Sixth. — A kindergarten primary certificate, valid for two years in 
any kindergarten and in the first two grades of the common schools of 
the county, providing the kindergarten training school of which the 
applicant is a graduate gives adequate preparation for the first two 
grades of work. This certificate shall be renewable for two-year 
periods on evidence of successful teaching satisfactory to the county 
superintendent. The requirements for this form of certificate shall 
be graduation from a recognized high school and from a recognized 
kindergarten training school, or the completion of an equivalent 
course ; or in lieu of graduation from such training school, such exam- 
ination in English, and the theory and practice of kindergarten and 
primary work as may be prescribed by the examining board. 

Seventh. — A special certificate, valid for two years in the com- 
mon schools of the county, renewable for two year periods. Such 
certificate shall be issued in music, drawing, agriculture, manual 
training, domestic science, domestic art, physical training, penmanship, 
bookkeeping, German, and such other subjects as may be added by 
the examining board and shall authorize the holder to teach only the 
subject or subjects named in the certificate. The requirements for 
this form of certificate shall be graduation from a recognized high 
school, or an equivalent preparation, and a certificate showing the 
completion in a recognized higher institution of learning of at least 
two years' special training in the special subject or subjects, certified 
credits in English and the principles and methods of teaching, and 
satisfactory evidence that the applicant has taught or can teach the 
subjects successfully. In lieu of such special training and certified 
credits a special certificate may be obtained by an examination in 
English and the principles and methods of teaching and in the special 
subject or subjects. 

Approved June 23, 1915. 



10 

COUNTY BOARD. 

An Act to amend section 20j of an Act entitled, ''An Act to establish 
and maintain a system of free schools," approved and in force June 
12, I pop. 

Section 1. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 
represented in the General Assembly: That section 207 of "An Act 
to establish and maintain a system of free schools," approved and in 
force June 12, 1909, be and the same is hereby amended to read as 
follows : 

§ 207. It shall be the duty of the county board of each county of 
the State: 

First. — To provide for the county superintendent of schools a 
suitable office with necessary furniture and office supplies, as is done 
in the case of other county offices. 

Second. — To examine and approve or reject the report of the 
county superintendent of schools made to such board. 

Third. — To allow, when in their judgment they shall deem proper, 
reasonable traveling expenses in performance of the duties of the 
office of county superintendent of schools. 

Fourth. — To audit at the regular meeting in September, and as 
near quarterly thereafter as such board may have regular or special 
meetings, the itemized bills of the county superintendent of schools 
for his office and traveling expenses. 

Fifth. — To authorize the county superintendent of schools to 
employ such assistants as he needs for the full discharge of his duties, 
and to fix the compensation thereof, which compensation shall be paid 
out of the county treasury. 

Sixth. — To examine the financial statements of the county super- 
intendent of schools required by section 11 of this Act and compare 
the same with vouchers, and the county board, or so many of them 
as may be present at the meeting of the board, shall be liable individ- 
ually to the fund injured and to the securities of the county superin- 
tendent, in case judgment be recovered of the said securities, for all 
damages occasioned by neglect of the duties, or any of them, required 
of the board by this section : Provided, however, that nothing herein 
contained shall be construed to exempt the securities, but they shall 
remain liable to the fund injured the same as if the members of the 
county board were not liable to them for neglect of their duty. 

Approved June 25, 1915. 



COUNTY SUPERINTENDENTS. 

An Act to amend section 5 of an Act entitled, "An Act to establish 
and maintain a system of free schools," approved and in force June 
12, I pop. 

Section 1. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 
represented in the General Assembly: That section 5 of an Act en- 
titled, "An Act to establish and maintain a system of free schools," 
approved and in force June 12, 1909, be and the same is hereby 
amended so as to read as follows: 



11 

§ 5. On Tuesday next after the first Monday in November, 1918, 
and quadrennially thereafter, there shall be elected by the qualified 
voters of every county in the State, a county superintendent of schools, 
who shall enter upon the discharge of his duties the first Monday of 
August next after his election. No one shall be eligible to the office of 
county superintendent of schools who is not of good character, actually 
engaged in educational work, the holder of a valid county supervisory 
certificate, or a State certificate, and who has not had at least four 
years' experience in teaching. 

Approved June 28, 1915. 



DELINQUENT CHILDREN. 

An Act to amend an Act entitled, *^An Act to enable school directors 
and hoards of education to establish and maijitain classes and schools 
for delinquent children committed by courts of competent jurisdic- 
tion and providing for the payment from the State treasury of the 
excess cost of maintaining and operating the said classes and schools 
over the cost of maintaining and operating elementary schools for 
normal children'' approved June 2, i^ii, in force July i, ipii, by 
amending section one (i) thereof. 

Section 1. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 
represented in the General Assembly: That an Act entitled, "An Act 
to enable school directors and boards of education to establish and 
maintain classes and schools for delinquent children committed by 
courts of competent jurisdiction, and providing for the payment from 
the State treasury of the excess cost of maintaining and operating the 
said classes and schools over the cost of maintaining and operating 
elementary schools for normal children," approved June 2, 1911, in 
force July 1, 1911, be and the same is hereby amended by amending 
section one (1) thereof so that the said section one (1) when amended 
shall read as follows : 

§ 1. That boards of education, school directors, and boards of 
school inspectors, whether acting under the general law or a special 
charter, shall be empowered to establish and maintain classes and 
schools for the delinquent children, residents of such cities, committed 
by courts of competent jurisdiction. 

Approved June 23, 1915. 



ELECTIONS. 



An Act to amend an Act entitled, ''An Act to establish and maintain 
a system of free schools," approved and in force June I2, i^op, by 
amending section 126a. 

Section 1. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 
represented in the General Assembly: That an Act entitled, "An Act 
to establish and maintain a system of free schools," ap])roved and in 
force June 12, 1909, be and the same is hereby amended by amending 



12 

section 126a thereof, so that said section 126a shall read when amended 
as follows : 

§ 126a. The ballots to be used at the election held for the selection 
of a president and members of the board of education shall be fur- 
nished by the district and shall be in form substantially as follows : 

For President, to Serve For One Year 
Vote for one 



n 



John Adams 

[ I James Brown 

For Two Members to Serve For Three Years 
Vote for two 






Frank Chance 
Tyrus Cobb 
Margaret Murphy 
Elizabeth Browning 



The voter shall make a cross-mark in the square preceding the name 
or names of the candidate or candidates of his choice and the ballot 
shall be so counted. The nominations of candidates for the offices of 
president and members of the board of education shall be made only 
by petition. All petitions shall be filed with the secretary at least ten 
days before the day of election. All petitions shall be signed by at 
least 10 per cent of the legal voters of the district, but not to exceed 
fifty such signatures shall be required to make valid any petition. The 
names of candidates shall be printed in the order in which the petitions 
are filed with the secretary. Such election shall be held under the 
Australian ballot system as provided in the general election laws and 
as detailed in section 309 and section 310 of said election laws, at the 
schoolhouse or such other place as shall be designated by the proper 
officers in the notice of election. 

Approved June 23, 1915. 



ELECTION OF TRUSTEES. 

An Act to amend an Act entitled, ''An Act to establish and maintain 
a system of free schools," approved and in force June I2, i^o^, as 
amended by subsequent Acts, by amending section twenty-two (22) 
thereof. 

Section 1. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 

represented in the General Assembly: That an Act entitled, "An Act 



13 

to establish and maintain a system of free schools," approved and in 
force June 12, 1909, as amended by subsequent Acts, be and the same 
is hereby amended by amending section twenty-two (22) thereof, so 
that said section when amended shall read as follows : 

§ 22. The election of trustees of schools shall be held, in town- 
ships whose boundaries do not coincide with those of towns, on the 
second Saturday of April, annually. In townships whose boundaries 
do coincide with those of towns as established under the township 
organization laws, the trustee or trustees shall be elected at the same 
time and in the same manner as town officers. In townships in which 
no election for school trustees has heretofore been held, or in town- 
ships in which from any cause there are no trustees of schools, or in 
case of a vacancy or. vacancies, the election of trustee or trustees of 
schools may be held on any Saturday. No person shall hereafter be 
nominated for the office of trustee of schools in townships containing 
20,000 inhabitants or over, except by petition signed by at least twenty- 
five (25) legal voters of the school township in which he is seeking 
nomination and election filed ten (10) days prior to such election with 
the township treasurer, or, in case of a first election, with the county 
clerk. The township treasurer shall, in townships containing 20,000 
inhabitants or over, furnish all ballots to be used at the election for 
trustees, and the name of no candidate shall be printed on such ballots 
except a petition shall be filed in his behalf as herein provided. 

Approved June 23, 1915. 



ELECTIONS VALIDATED. 

An Act to legalize certain elections held since July i, ipii, under and 
by virtue of ''An Act to authorize the organization of high school 
districts/' approved June 5, ipii, and in force July i, igii, and all 
proceedings taken in pursuance thereof, and to abate certain pending 
suits. 

Section 1. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 
represented in the General Assembly: That whenever any election has 
been held since July 1, 1911, under and by virtue of '*An Act to 
authorize the organization of high school districts," approved June 5, 
1911, and in force July 1, 1911, at which the votes of women may 
have been the deciding factor in carrying such election then, and ni 
such case, such elections are hereby made and held to be legal, valid 
and binding, and all high school districts organized under and by 
virtue of such elections and in pursuance thereof, if otherwise legally 
organized, are hereby held and declared to be duly and legally organ- 
ized and made valid and binding, and all officers elected and all acts 
done under and by virtue of such elections and in pursuance thereof, 
if otherwise legal, are hereby made valid and declared to be legal, 
binding and of full force and effect, and all pending suits, questioning 
the vahdity of such elections on the aforesaid grounds, shall abate: 
Provided, that this Act shall not apply to any district, i)ortions of 
which have since the organization of such district, been later organized 
into or as a part of any other district or districts. 



14 

§ 2. Whereas, an emergency exists, therefore, this Act shall be 
in full force and effect from and after its passage and approval. 
Approved April 24, 1915. 



EMINENT DOMAIN. 

An Act -giving to the trustees of schools, board of school inspectors, 
board of education or other corporate authority managing and con- 
trolling the public schools of any school district existing by virtue 
of any special charter and governed by any or all such special 
charters or special or general school laws of this State, and having 
a population of fewer than ^oo,ooo inhabitants, the power to acquire 
property and to have the compensation to be paid therefor deter^ 
mined by the exercise of the right of eminent domain. 

Section 1. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 
represented in the General Assembly: That w^henever any school dis- 
trict existing by virtue of any special charter and governed by any or 
all such special charter or special school laws of this State, and having 
a population of fewer than 500,000 inhabitants, shall require any lot 
or parcel of land situated within such school district for a site for a 
school building, or for an addition to any school building already 
erected and used for school purposes, or shall require any lot or parcel 
of land situated within such school district for the purpose of a play- 
ground for school children, and the compensation for such lot or parcel 
of land cannot be agreed upon between the owner or owners of such 
lot or parcel of land and the trustees of schools, board of school 
inspectors, board of education or other corporate authority managing 
and controlling the public schools of such district it shall be lawful for 
the trustees of schools, board of school inspectors, board of education, 
or other corporate authority managing and controlling the public 
schools of such district to acquire such lot or parcel of land and have 
the compensation to be paid therefor determined in the manner which 
may at the time be provided by law for the exercise of the right of 
eminent domain: 

Approved June 23, 1915. 



HIGH SCHOOLS DISCONTINUED. 

An Act to amend an Act entitled, "An Act to authorize the organiza- 
tion of high school districts," approved June 5, A. D. ipii, by adding 
thereto an additional section providing for discontinuing such high 
school districts. 

Section 1. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 
represented in the General Assembly: That an Act entitled, "An Act 
to authorize the organization of high school districts," approved June 
5, 1911, be and hereby accordingly is amended by adding thereto an 
additional section to be known as section No. eight in words and 
figures following, to-wit: 

§ 8. When any entire high school district desires to discontinue 
the township high school, the county superintendent, upon the receipt 
of a petition signed by a majority of the legal voters of the said 



15 

district shall, forthwith, order an election to be held in the manner 
provided by this act, for the purpose of voting "for" or "against" the 
proposition to discontinue the township high school. If two-thirds of 
the ballots cast at the election shall be in favor of discontinuing the 
township high school, the county superintendent shall direct the high 
school board of education to discharge all outstanding obligations and 
to distribute the remainder of the assets of the high school district to 
the underlying districts and parts of districts in proportion to the 
assessed valuation of all the property of such districts and parts of 
districts : Provided, that an election to discontinue the township high 
school shall not be called within the period of two years from the 
establishment of such township high school, nor within a period of 
two years following any such election called to discontinue the town- 
ship high school. When a township high school shall be discontinued 
by an order of any court of competent jurisdiction, the assets of the 
high school district shall be distributed in the manner provided by 
this section. 

Approved June 26, 1915. 



HIGH SCHOOL PRIVILEGES. 

An Act to provide for the payment of high school tuition and to pro- 
vide free high school privileges for graduates of the eighth grade, 
and to repeal an Act entitled, *'An Act to provide high school priv- 
ileges for graduates of the eighth grade,'' approved June 26, ipiS, 
in force July i, 191 3. 

Section 1. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 
represented in the General Assembly: That graduates of the eighth 
grade residing in districts which do not provide four years of recog- 
nized high school work shall be admitted upon the payment of tuition 
to any recognized public high school for the completion of such por- 
tion of a four-year course as is not provided by the home districts. 
The parent or guardian shall select the high school to be attended 
subject to the consent of the high school board and the approval of the 
county superintendent. The school selected may be any recognized 
two, three or four year public high school. 

§ 2. An eighth grade graduate, in the meaning of this Act, is any 
person of school age who gives satisfactory evidence of having com- 
pleted the first eight grades of school work by presenting a certificate 
of promotion issued by the home school board or by passing an exam- 
ination set by the county superintendent or by a recognized high 
school. 

§ 3. A recognized high school, in the meaning of this Act, is any 
public high school providing a course of two or more years of work 
approved by the superintendent of public instruction. 

§ 4. On or before the loth day of March of each year the clerks 
of school boards in the districts where tuition pupils reside, and the 
clerks of boards of the high schools attended by pupils not residents 
of such high school districts, shall report to the county superintendent 
of the county where such pupils reside the names of such pupils and 
the tuition charges for same, and the school districts in which they 



16 

reside and the name of the high school attended, and such other facts 
as he may require. 

§ 5. On or before the first day of April of each year the county 
superintendent of schools of each county, having ascertained the 
number of pupils from his county attending high schools under the 
provisions of this Act and the amount of tuition due each high school 
attended, shall pay all such tuition to the clerks of the boards in control 
of such high schools out of the State school fund apportioned to that 
county before distributing the same as now provided by law, and 
shall report all of his transactions relating thereto to the township 
treasurers of his county and to the superintendent of public instruc- 
tion on or before the 15th day of April of that year. 

§ 6. The county superintendent of any county may limit the max- 
imum amount of tuition per pupil in his county to forty dollars, but in 
such case shall notify all of the high schools in the county of his action 
before the opening of the school year : Provided, that the tuition in 
no instance shall be greater than the per capita cost of maintaining 
the high school selected, and that when a pupil attends less than the 
school year the tuition shall be estimated upon the number of months 
attended. 

§ 7. All pupils attending high schools under the provisions of this 
Act, shall attend a high school in the county where such pupil resides, 
except for sufficient reasons appearing to the county superintendent of 
schools of the county where such pupil resides he may issue a written 
permit for such pupil to attend a high school in another county. 

§ 8. An Act entitled, '*An Act to provide high school privileges 
for graduates of the eighth grade," approved June 26, 1913, in force 
July 1, 1913, and all other Acts or parts of Acts in conflict with the 
provisions of this Act are hereby repealed. 

Approved June 30, 1915. 



JACKSONVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT. 

An Act to repeal Article XI of an Act entitled '*An Act to incorporate 
the City of Jacksonville in the County of Morgan and State of 
Illinois," approved February ij, i86y, as amended by an Act 
approved March 2g, i86p. 

Section 1. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 
represented in the General Assembly: That Article XI of an Act 
entitled ''An Act to incorporate the City of Jacksonville, in the County 
of Morgan, and State of Illinois," approved February 15, 1867, as 
amended by an Act approved March 29, 1869, be and the same is 
hereby repealed. This act shall not take effect and be in force until 
the first day of March, A. D. 1916. 
Approved June 26, 1915. 



KINDERGARTENS. 
An Act to amend section iij of an Act entitled, "An Act to establish 
and maintain a system of free schools, approved and in force June 

12, IpO^/' 

Section 1. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 
represented in the General Assembly: That section 115 of an Act 



17 

entitled, *'An Act to establish and maintain a system of free schools, 
approved and in force June 12, 1909," be amended so as to read as 
follows : 

§ 115. The board of school directors shall be clothed with the fol- 
lowing powers : 

First. — To purchase a suitable book for their records. 

Second. — To allow the clerk a reasonable compensation for his 
services, payable out of money not otherwise appropriated. 

Third. — To dismiss a teacher for incompetency, cruelty, negli- 
gence, immorality or other sufficient cause. 

Fourth. — To assign pupils to the several schools in the district ; 
to admit nonresident pupils when it can be done without prejudice to 
the rights of resident. pupils ; to fix rates of tuition, and to collect and 
pay the same to the township treasurer for the use of the district. 

Fifth. — To suspend or expel pupils guilty of gross disobedience 
or misconduct, and no action shall lie against them for such expulsion 
or suspension. 

Sixth. — To provide that children under twelve years of age shall 
not be kept in school more than four hours daily. 

Seventh. — To appropriate school funds for the purchase of 
libraries and apparatus, after the provision has been made for the 
payment of all necessary school expenses. 

Eighth. — To sell at public or private sale any personal property 
belonging to the school district, and not needed for school purposes. 

Ninth. — To grant special holidays whenever in their judgment 
such action is advisable, but no deduction shall be made from the time 
or compensation of a teacher on account of such days. 

Tenth. — To have the control and supervision of all public school 
houses in their district, and to grant the temporary use of them, when 
not occupied by schools, for religious meetings and Sunday schools, 
for evening schools and literary societies, and for such other meetings 
as the directors may deem proper. To grant the use of assembly 
halls and class rooms when not otherwise needed, including light, heat 
and attendants, for public lectures, concerts, and other educational 
and social interests, but under such provisions and control as they 
may see fit to impose, and to conduct or provide for the conducting 
of recreational, social and civic activities in the school buildings under 
their control. 

Eleventh. — To decide when a site or building has become unnec- 
essary, unsuitable or inconvenient for a school. 

Twelfth. — To borrow money, and issue bonds for the purposes 
and in the manner provided by this Act. 

Thirteenth. — To furnish each school with a flag and staff, as 
provided by law. 

Fourteenth. — To establish classes having an average attendance 
of not fewer than fifteen pupils for the instruction of crippled children 
over the age of six and under twenty-one years. 

Fifteenth. — To establish classes for the instruction of deaf chil- 
dren over the age of three and under twenty-one years: Provided, 
however, that no person shall be employed to teach the deaf who shall 



18 

not have received instruction in the methods of teaching the deaf for 
a term of not less than one year. 

Sixteenth. — To estabUsh kindergartens for the instruction of 
children between the ages of four and six years, if in their judgment 
the public interest requires it, and to pay the necessary expenses of 
the same out of the school funds of the district: Provided, that no 
one shall be employed to teach in a kindergarten who does not hold a 
kindergarten certificate as provided by law. 

Approved June 26, 1915. 



PENSIONS. 



An Act in relation to an Illinois State Teachers' Pension and Retire- 
ment Fund. 

Section 1. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 
represented in the General Assembly: That there be and is hereby 
created an Illinois State Teachers' Pension and Retirement Fund, 
which shall be managed by a board of trustees, to be known as the 
board of trustees of the Illinois Teachers' Pension and Retirement 
Fund. Such board shall consist of five (5) members, of whom the 
Superintendent of Public Instruction and the State Treasurer shall be 
ex officio members, and three other members, who shall be elected 
by the teachers who are contributors to said fund or who have become 
annuitants under provisions of this Act, at an annual election, as 
hereinafter provided. No teacher shall be elected as a member of the 
board of trustees by the teachers and annuitants as aforesaid who is 
not a contributor, or an annuitant as aforesaid, at the time of the 
election. The term of office of the elective members of the said board 
of trustees shall be three (3) years, except as provided in section 3 
of this Act, and such term shall begin on the first day of January next 
succeeding after such election takes place : Provided, the elective 
members of the first board of trustees shall assume office immediately 
after their election. In case any trustee ceases to be a contributor or 
an annuitant, his office shall become vacant and shall be filled as here- 
inafter provided for the filling of vacancies. 

§2. Any person qualified to be elected a member of said board 
of trustees may be nominated as a candidate for that office by petition 
in writing signed by not less than one hundred contributors to said 
fund, or annuitants as aforesaid, and in the manner following: No 
petition shall contain the names of a greater number of candidates 
than there are offices to be filled. No person shall petition for the 
nomination of more candidates than there are offices to be filled. No 
signature of a petitioner shall be valid unless there shall appear on 
the petition opposite such signatures the school district, city, town, 
or village and county in which such petitioner is a teacher, or if an 
annuitant, his or her postoffice address. All such petitions shall be 
filed in the office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction of this 
State not less than thirty days nor more than forty days next before 
the annual election day hereinafter mentioned. Each membership in 
said board of trustees shall be considered as one office. The number 



19 

of candidates whose names shall appear on the ballot shall not exceed 
six for each office. The persons petitioned for by the largest number 
of persons shall be the candidates and their names shall appear on the 
ballot in the order of the number of petitioners for each, the name of 
the candidate having the greatest number appearing first, etc. When 
the time within which nominating petitions may be filed has expired, 
the Superintendent of Public Instruction shall cause the names of all 
persons nominated for any office or offices to be filled at the next 
annual election to be printed on one ballot, indicating thereon the 
term of office for which they are severally nominated, and one of 
the ballots so made up shall, together with a printed copy of the sec- 
tions of this Act pertaining to elections, be mailed to each contributor, 
and annuitant as aforesaid, at his or her last known address, at least 
one week before said annual election day. There shall be mailed at 
the same time to such member a stamped envelope, properly addressed 
to the Superintendent of Public Instruction at his office, and also an 
envelope marked "For Ballot Only," and a slip for signature, as 
hereinafter provided. Each person, upon marking his or her ballot, 
shall enclose the same in the envelope marked ''For Ballot Only," 
and shall seal the sam.e, and shall write his or her signature and the 
name of the school district, city, town or village and county in which 
such voter is a teacher or annuitant as aforesaid, upon the slip of 
paper provided for that purpose, and shall enclose both said slip and 
the sealed envelope containing his or her ballot in the envelope ad- 
dressed to the Superintendent of Public Instruction and shall mail 
the same. Ballots shall be in the form, as near as may be, of ballots 
prepared under "An Act to provide for the printing and distribution 
of ballots at public expense and for the nomination of candidates for 
public offices, to regulate the manner of holding elections and to en- 
force the secrecy of the ballot," approved June 22, 1891, in force July 
1, 1891, commonly called "Austrahan Ballot Act." The voter shall 
indicate his choice by making a cross mark in the square before the 
name of each person voted for, as near as may be in the same manner 
as provided in said Australian Ballot Act. Each contributor to said 
fund and each annuitant as aforesaid shall be entitled to one vote for 
each office to be filled at such election. 

§ 3. December 27, unless said day fall on Sunday, and in that 
event, December 28, in each year, is herein designated as annual 
election day. On said annual election day the envelopes addressed and 
mailed to the Superintendent of Public Instruction shall be publicly 
opened at his office. The name of the person voting, as shown on 
the enclosed slip, shall be checked ofif on the roll of contributors and 
annuitants as aforesaid, and a list of such voters shall be made, and 
the envelope marked "For Ballot Only," accompanying such slip, shall 
then be set aside to be later publicly opened and the ballot therein 
counted by a board of canvassers. Said board shall consist of seven 
members to be selected from the contributors and annuitants as 
aforesaid, in such manner as the board of trustees shall by by-law 
provide, one from each of the seven districts in which this State has 
been divided for the election of judges of the Supreme Court. No 
ballot shall be counted unless accompanied by said slip, properly filled 



20 

out as heretofore provided by a contributor or annuitant as aforesaid, 
nor unless received by the Superintendent of PubHc Instruction before 
10 o'clock a. m. on said annual election day. When the names of 
all voters shall have been checked, the envelopes marked "For Ballot 
Only" shall be opened and the ballots removed therefrom and counted. 
The person or persons receiving the highest number of votes shall be 
elected. In case more persons than one have the same number of 
votes, the choice shall be decided by lot. The Superintendent of Public 
Instruction shall make and keep a record of the result of the election 
and furnish a copy thereof to the board of trustees, and shall notify 
the persons elected of their election. At the first annual election there 
shall be elected one member of said board of trustees for the term of 
one year, one member for the term of two years, and one member 
for the term of three years, and annually thereafter there shall be 
elected one member for a term of three years in the manner heretofore 
provided. 

§ 4. In case of a vacancy in the board of trustees, the remaining 
members of said board shall fill such vacancy by appointment until 
the next annual election, when a trustee for the unexpired term shall 
be elected. 

§ 5. After the passage of this bill and until the elective members 
of the first board of trustees shall assume office, as provided in section 
1 of this Act, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Auditor 
of Public Accounts and the Secretary of State shall constitute a tem- 
porary board of trustees of the Illinois State Teachers' Pension and 
Retirement Fund. Such temporary board shall account for all its 
transactions in the same manner as hereinafter provided for the 
board of trustees. 

§ 6. Said board of trustees shall organize by the election of one 
of their number as president. The State Treasurer shall be ex officio 
treasurer of said board, and shall receive and make payments from 
and account for said funds in the same manner as for other State 
funds, except as hereinafter provided. Said Treasurer shall safely 
keep such funds^ subject to the control and direction of the board of 
trustees, and shall keep his books and accounts in such manner as 
may be prescribed by said board, and said books and accounts shall 
always be subject to the inspection of said board, or any member 
thereof. Said Treasurer shall be liable on his official bond for the 
proper performance of his duties and the conservation of the fund 
created by this Act. Said board shall employ a secretary, for such 
term as may be determined, who shall perform such duties as may be 
prescribed by the board. 

§ 7. The board of trustees shall meet regularly four times a year 
at such times as said board may by by-law provide, or at the call of 
the president or any three members. Said board may adopt rules for 
the government of its meetings and for the administration of the 
fund, in accordance with the provisions of this Act. 

§ 8. Members of said board shall receive no compensation, except 
their necessary expenses incurred in attending the meetings, to be 
paid from the Illinois State Teachers' Pension and Retirement Fund. 
If said board shall elect one of it§ members secretary, such member 



21 

may receive compensation for services rendered as secretary. The 
secretary may receive a salary to be fixed by the board. The compen- 
sation of the secretary and other necessary expenses incurred by said 
board in carrying out the provisions of this Act shall be paid from 
the fund. The Auditor of Public Accounts is authorized to draw 
warrants payable from said fund upon the State Treasurer for all 
salaries and expenses provided for in this Act upon the presentation 
of vouchers approved by the president and the secretary of said board 
of trustees. 

§ 9. The board of trustees shall have charge of the administration 
of said fund, and shall have power to invest the same upon the 
approval of the State Treasurer in the same manner and subject to 
the same terms and conditions as township trustees are permitted to 
invest school funds under the law, and shall have power to make 
payments from said fund of pensions or annuities granted in this Act. 

§ 10. The board of trustees shall report annually at the first 
meeting after June 30. A copy of said report shall be transmitted 
to the Superintendent of Public Instruction, who shall include the 
same in his biennial report to the Governor. 

§ 11. Said board shall not be a corporation, but may sue and be 
sued in the name of the board. All actions brought by or against the 
board shall be prosecuted or defended, as the case may be, by the 
Attorney General or other counsel, as the board of trustees may from 
time to tim^e decide. 

§ 12. The board of directors, board of education, or other gov- 
erning body of public schools in each school district of the State, 
coming under the provisions of this Act, shall retain on every pay day 
from the salary of each teacher the amount hereinafter provided: 
Provided, that such amount shall not be retained from the salary of 
any teacher employed in said public schools when this Act takes effect 
who has not elected to come within the provisions of this Act as pro- 
vided for in section 15. Each teacher shall be furnished a statement by 
such board showing the amount deducted from the salary of said 
teacher. 

§ 13. All persons who shall be employed to teach in the public 
schools of the State, coming under the provisions of this Act, shall, 
after this Act takes effect, be entitled to the benefits of the fund upon 
complying with the provisions of this Act, and for the purposes of 
this Act such persons shall be divided into the following classes : 

First. — Those who have taught ten years or fewer than ten years. 

Second. — Those who have taught more than ten years and not 
more than fifteen years. 

Third. — Those who have taught more than fifteen years. 

After this Act shall take effect there shall be set apart from the 
salaries of all such persons so employed as teachers in the public 
schools o^ this State, coming under the provisions of this Act, $1.00 
per month for the first five months taught after July first of each year 
by such teacher while he or she remains in the first class; $2.00 per 
month for the first five months taught after July first of each year by 
such teacher while he or she remains in the second' class; $6.00 per 
month for the first five months taught after July first of each year 



22 

by such teacher for the first ten years while he or she remains in the 
third class, which amount shall be deducted by the managing body of 
the school taught by such teacher from the salary of such teacher at 
the regular time for the payment thereof, and the same shall be paid 
into and constitute a part of the said Teachers' Retirement Fund. 
The total amount paid into said fund by each teacher shall be based 
upon twenty-five years of service as teacher as provided in this sec- 
tion : Provided, that such total amount shall not be less than the full 
amount of the annuity to which such teacher shall be entitled for the 
first year, Said assessments shall cease after 25 years of service. 

All teachers becoming contributors to said Teachers' Pension of 
[and] Retirement Fund for the first time shall submit to the managing 
body of the school taught by them evidence which has been approved 
and accepted by the board of trustees of said fund, attesting and 
proving service rendered in public schools, and such evidence shall 
be the basis for placing such teachers in the proper class of the classes 
provided in this section. 

§ 14. Any person becoming a teacher in the public schools of 
this State coming under the provisions of this Act, after this Act 
takes effect, shall be conclusively deemed to undertake and agree to 
pay such amounts and have such amounts deducted from his or her 
salary as herein provided. 

§ 15. Any person employed as a teacher in the public schools of 
this State, coming under the provisions of this Act, when this Act 
takes effect, or who has previously taught in the public schools of 
this State and resumes teaching, may at any time before the first day 
of September, 1920, elect to come within the provisions of this Act 
by notifying in writing the board of trustees of the Illinois State 
Teachers' Pension and Retirement Fund. 

At the time of giving said notice to the board of trustees, as 
herein provided, such teachers shall notify in writing the local school 
board or managing body of the school taught of his or her election 
to come within the provisions of this Act ; and said notice shall 
authorize said -school board or managing body to deduct from the 
payments of salary due him or her a sum equal to the amount to be 
deducted from the salary of such teacher, as provided in section 13. 

§ 16. The board of directors, board of education, or other gov- 
erning body of public schools in each school district of the State, 
coming under the provisions of this Act, shall each year within seven 
days after the thirtieth day of June, forward to the State Treasurer a 
statement, verified by the secretary or clerk thereof, of the moneys 
so retained in accordance with the provisions of this act, together 
with said moneys so retained. 

§17. Said statement shall include the following: Name and 
monthly salary of each teacher; number of months of school taught 
by each teacher in said public schools of the district, village or city 
over which said school board or said managing body of such school 
has jurisdiction during the school year for which the statement is 
made ; the number of months constituting a school year in such dis- 
trict, village or city; the total salary of each teacher; the total amount 
withheld from the salary of each teacher in accordance with the 



23 

provisions of this Act ; the total amount so withheld from the salaries 
of said teachers for the school year next preceding, and the total 
number of years each teacher has taught in the public schools of the 
State. 

§ 18. Said school board or managing body shall at the same time 
send a copy of said statement to the county superintendent of schools 
of the county in which is located the schoolhouse in which is taught 
the school under the control of such school board or managing body. 

§ 19. If no teacher in such city, village or school district comes 
under the provisions of this Act, the school board, or other managing 
body of such city, village or school district shall state this fact under 
the oath of the secretary or clerk thereof to the State Treasurer, and 
shall at the same time forward a copy of said statement to the county 
superintendent of said county. 

§ 20. Each county superintendent shall each year on or before 
the first day of August report under oath to said board of trustees. 
Said report shall contain an itemized account of the statements re- 
ceived by him from the school boards and a statement of the total 
amounts so withheld from the salaries of all of said teachers in said 
report. 

§ 21. The following shall keep complete and uniform records of 
the data contained in said report in such form and in such manner as 
shall be formulated and described by the board of trustees of said 
retirement fund : Each county superintendent, each school district 
board, each high school district board, and all other managing bodies, 
in cities and districts coming under the provisions of this Act. 

§ 22. The State Treasurer shall credit all moneys received under 
the provisions of this Act to the fund designated as the Illinois State 
Teachers' Pension and Retirement Fund. 

§ 23. There shall be set aside annually by the Auditor of Public 
Accounts from the common school fund of this State and paid into 
the State Treasury for the maintenance and administration of the 
Illinois State Teachers' Pension and Retirement Fund an amount 
sufficient to meet all the demands made upon said pension and retire- 
ment fund, in accordance with the provisions of this Act, which 
amount, until otherwise provided by law, shall be equal to one-tenth 
of one mill upon each dollar of the assessed valuation of all the taxable 
property of the State, exclusive of cities and school districts not com- 
ing under the provisions of this Act : Provided, that that portion of 
the common school fund apportioned to cities or school districts not 
coming under the provisions of this Act, shall not be diminished or 
affected by the provisions of this section. 

§ 24. The moneys received under the provisions of this Act, to- 
gether with any donations or legacies received therefor, or other 
moneys received from any legal source or increment, shall constitute a 
fund, to be known as the Illinois State Teachers' Pension and Retire- 
ment Fund. 

§ 25. Any person, who is a resident of Illinois, and who has com- 
pUed with the provisions of this section may retire and receive the 
annuity provided for, in the following cases : 



24 

(a) After a period or periods aggregating twenty-five years of 
service as teacher in the pubhc schools of the United States, of which 
fifteen years must have been spent in the pubHc schools of this State, 
provided that the payments and deductions of his or her salary have 
been made and turned over to said fund as provided in sections 12 
and 13. If said payments shall not have amounted to $400.00, the 
teacher shall pay into the fund the deficiency before receiving the 
annuity, with interest as provided by clause (b) of this section. No 
person while receiving a teacher's annuity from any other public 
school teachers' pension or retirement fund shall receive an annuity 
from the fund created under this Act. Nor shall any person under 
fifty years of age receive an annuity except as provided in paragraph 
(c) of this section. 

(b) Teachers who elect to become contributors to and bene- 
ficiaries of the said Illinois State Teachers' [Pension] and Retirement 
Fund, under the provisions of this section may count past services in 
public schools as a part or the whole of the period of twenty-five years 
hereinafter specified, but no annuity shall be paid until said teacher 
shall have paid into the fund a sum equal to that which he or she 
would have contributed under the provisions of this section, had he oi* 
she been a regular contributor to said fund during said period of past 
service, together with simple interest thereon at the rate of four per 
cent per annum from the time such payments would have been made, 
had such person during such time been a contributor to such fund, to 
the time such person shall by making such payments become entitled 
to the benefits and credit of such past service. 

■ (c). After fifteen years of service as teacher in the public schools, 
two-fifths of which may be outside of Illinois but within the United 
States, any teacher who shall have been declared by two competent 
physicians, who have made a physical examination of the teacher, at 
the request of the board of trustees, to be suffering from any dis- 
ability such as to disqualify him or her for teaching, may during the 
continuance of such disability retire, provided that the payments of 
said teacher to the fund shall have amounted to a sum, as provided in 
sections 12 and 13. If said payments shall not amount to $400.00, the 
teacher shall pay into the fund the deficiency before receiving the 
annuity. No person while receiving a teacher's annuity from any 
other public school teachers' pension or retirement fund shall receive 
an annuity from the fund created under said sections. 

(d) In computing the terms of service under clauses a, b.and c 
of this section, a year shall be a legal school year at the time and 
place where said service was rendered except that where the service 
was rendered in public schools not included in the provisions of this 
section, a time less than a legal school year in this State shall not be 
included as a year, but only such proportion of a year as the number 
of teaching weeks in each such year bears to the number of weeks 
required at the time to constitute a legal year in the State. 

(e) Any person who has complied with the provisions of this 
Act and desires to retire from active service in said public schools, 
shall apply in writing to the board of trustees of the Illinois State 
Teachers' Pension and Retirement Fund. 



25 

(f) Any teacher coming from a public school not included within 
the provisions of this section who may be employed to teach in the 
public schools mentioned in this section may become a contributor to 
and beneficiary of said fund in like manner as provided in clause (b) 
of this section. 

§ 26. Each teacher retiring from service of said public schools 
under the provisions of clauses a, b, c, d and e of section 25 shall 
annually and for life be entitled to receive an annuity of $16.00 for 
each year of service as teacher : Provided, that said annuity shall not 
exceed $400.00 in any one year, subject, however, to all of the pro- 
visions of this section. 

§ 27. Any teacher who is a contribator to said fund who shall 
cease to teach in said public schools before becoming a member of the 
third class as provided in section 13, shall, if application be made in 
writing to the board of trustees within six months after the date of 
his or her retirement, be entitled to the return of 50 per cent of the 
amount, without interest, which shall have been paid into the fund 
by such teacher. If such teacher shall again thereafter teach in the 
public schools, he or she shall, within three years from the date of his 
or her return to the service of said public schools, return to said fund 
the amount so returned to such teacher, together with simple interest 
on said amount at 4 per cent per annum for the time such amount 
was withdrawn from the fund. 

§ 28. Annuities payable under the provisions of this Act shall 
be paid quarterly on the first day of January, April, July and October 
of each year from the State Teachers' Pension and Retirement Fund, 
and the Auditor of Public Accounts is authorized and directed to 
issue his warrants on the State Treasurer, payable from said fund, 
upon the presentation of vouchers approved by the president and 
secretary of the board of trustees of said pension and retirement fund. 

§ 29. Payments from the fund shall be made from the income 
thereof, and when necessary from the principal of moneys received 
under the provisions of this Act. 

§ 30. One year's leave of absence for professional preparation, 
granted by the proper authorities to any teacher under the provisions 
of this Act, shall be computed as a part of said twenty-five years of 
service, provided that the payments to said fund shall be continued 
during said leave of absence at the same rate as if such person were 
in active service as such teacher. Such period or periods of absence 
in the aggregate shall be computed as a part of said twenty-five years 
of service of said teacher; and in case of absence of less than a school 
year, only the time covered by such absence shall be so computed. 

§ 31. Any person retiring under the provisions of this Act may 
re-enter upon the work of teaching in said public schools. During 
said term of teaching, the annuity paid to such person shall cease. 
Said annuity shall again be paid to said person upon again retiring. 

§ 32. Such annuities so created shall not be subject to attach- 
ment, garnishment, execution or other seizure by process, nor shall 
they be subject to sale, assignment, pledge, mortgage or other 
alienation. 



36 

§ 33. A suitable office in the Capitol, with suitable furniture and 
office supplies, shall be furnished for the board of trustees by the 
proper authority. 

§ 34. The term ''teacher" as used ni this Act, shall include any 
teacher, teacher-secretary, supervisor, principal, supervising-principal, 
superintendent or assistant superintendent who shall teach or be 
employed in the public schools of this State : Provided, however, 
that service as county superintendent or assistant county superintend- 
ent may be counted as a part of the twenty-five years of service re- 
quired to enable a teacher to receive the annuities provided for in 
this Act. 

§ 35. If at the time this Act shall take effect there shall be in 
existence any " teachers' retirement fund organized and existing or 
purporting to exist under sections 127a to 127n, both inclusive, of 
"An Act to establish and maintain a system of free schools," approved 
and in force June 12, 1909, as afterwards amended, or any other 
law of this State applying to schools and school teachers, in any city 
or school district coming under the provisions of this Act, the same 
and its property and funds shall be and hereby are merged into and 
made a part of said Illinois State Teachers' Pension and Retirement 
Fund, and the persons who have contributed to such existing fund 
shall be credited with the amounts contributed respectively as if such 
contributions had been made to said Illinois State Teachers' Pension 
and Retirement Fund; and the annuitants, if any, of such existing 
fund shall be eligible to become annuitants of said Illinois State 
Teachers' Pension and Retirement Fund, and its board of trustees 
shall take over the administration of such existing fund and admin- 
ister the same under and in accordance wath the provisions of this Act. 

§ 36. Except as herein provided, this Act shall apply to all cities 
and school districts of the State, and the same shall come under the 
provisions of this Act: Provided, however, that all cities and school 
districts of the State having a population in excess of 65,000, as 
shown by the Federal census of 1910, and operating at the time this 
Act takes effect under any statute providing for the establishment of 
a Teachers' Pension and Retirement Fund, shall not come under the 
provisions of this Act. 

Approved May 27, 1915. 



PENSION FUND, SPECIAL. 

An Act to amend section j of an Act entitled, "An Act to enable any 
hoard of school inspectors, or any body or hoard of officials, which 
governs or has charge of the affairs of any school district having 
a population of not fewer than io,ooo and not more than 100,000 
inhabitants, and governed by special Acts of the General Assembly 
of this State and in such other districts as may hereafter be ascer- 
tained by any special or general census to have such population and 
which school districts are also governed by like special Acts, to 
establish and maintain a teachers' pension and retirement fund,^^ 
approved June 2/, 1913, in force July i, 1^13. 

Section 1. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 

represented in the General Assembly: That section 3 of an Act en- 



27 

titled, "An Act to enable any board of school inspectors, or any body 
or board of officials, which governs or has charge of the affairs of any 
school district having a population of not fewer than 10,000 and not 
more than 100,000 inhabitants, and governed by special Acts of the 
General Assembly of this State and in such other districts as may 
hereafter be ascertained by any special or general census to have such 
population and which school districts are also governed by like special 
Acts, to establish and maintain a teachers' pension and retirement 
fund," approved June 27, 1913, in force July 1, 1913, be and the same 
is hereby amended to read as follows : 

§ 3. The teachers' pension and retirement fund shall consist of 
moneys contributed by teachers under the provisions of this Act ; also 
of moneys received, from donations, legacies, gifts, bequests and 
otherwise, and of moneys paid into said fund in pursuance of any 
law now in force or hereafter enacted; and there shall be set aside by 
the State Auditor of Public Accounts and paid by him to the State 
Treasurer annually from the common school fund of this State an 
amount equal to one-tenth of one mill upon each dollar of assessed 
valuation of all taxable property of the State within the city and school 
district coming under the provisions of this Act, and the State Treas- 
urer shall pay proportionately from the respective city and school 
districts the sums so paid to him, to the treasurer of the board of 
school inspectors of the City of Peoria and to all other boards of 
directors, boards of education and boards of school inspectors in 
districts in accordance with the provisions of this Act who shall credit 
such sums so paid to him to the teachers' pension and retirement fund 
under the provisions of this Act. 

Approved June 29, 1915. 



PHYSICAL TRAINING. 

An Act to provide for physical -training in the public and all the 
normal schools. 

Section 1. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 
represented in the General Assembly: That it shall be the duty of 
boards of education and of all boards in charge of educational insti- 
tutions supported wholly or partially by the State to provide for the 
physical education and training of pupils of such public schools and 
educational institutions in all grades, and to include such physical 
education and training in the courses of instruction regularly taught 
therein. 

§ 2. All boards of education and managing boards of such educa- 
tional institutions shall make proper and suitable provisions in the 
schools and institutions under their jurisdiction for such physical 
education and training for not less than one (1) hour of each week 
during the whole of the school year. 

§ 3. The curriculum in all normal schools of the State shall con- 
tain a regular course of physical education and training for teacher, 
the said course to be taught not less than one (1) hour of each week 
during the whole of each term of school. 

Approved June 26, 1915. 



28 

REVENUE. 

An Act to amend section i8p of an Act entitled, "An Act to establish 
and maintain a system of free schools," approved and in force June 
i2,ipop, as thereafter amended. 

Section 1. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 
represented in the General Assembly: That section 189 of an Act 
entitled, *'An Act to establish and maintain a system of free schools," 
approved and in force June 12, 1909, as amended by an Act approved 
June 20, 1913, in force July 1, 1913, be and the same is hereby amended 
to read as follows : 

§ 189. For the purpose of establishing and supporting free schools 
for not less than six nor more than nine months in each year and 
defraying all the expenses of the same of every description ; for the 
purpose of repairing and improving school houses, of procuring 
furniture, fuel, libraries and apparatus, and for all other necessary 
incidental expenses in each district, village or city, anything in any 
special charter to the contrary notwithstanding, the directors or the 
board of education and the authorities of such village or city, as the 
case may be, shall be authorized to levy a tax annually upon all the 
taxable property of the district, village or city, not to exceed, except 
as hereinafter stated, one and one-half per cent for educational, and 
one and one-half per cent for building purposes upon the. valuation to 
be ascertained by the last assessment for State and county taxes : 
Provided, that the term incidental expenses herein used shall not 
include any sum expended or obligation incurred for the improvement, 
repair or benefit of the school buildings, and property, but all such 
sums and obligations shall be paid from that portion of the tax levied 
for building purposes. No election or petition shall be necessary to 
authorize the levy of a tax for the ordinary repair and improvement 
of school buildings or grounds or for the payment of any special tax 
or special assessment levied upon such property. But if the board of 
education, in any district having a population of not less than one 
thousand and not over one hundred thousand inhabitants, and not 
governed by any special Act in relation to free schools now in force 
by which no tax limit is imposed, shall desire to levy in any one year 
more than one and one-half per cent, but not more than two per cent, 
for educational purposes, such board may, by resolution stating the 
percentage so desired, cause a proposition for an assent thereto to be 
submitted to the voters of such district at any general school election, 
or at a special election called for that purpose, and if at such election 
a majority of the votes cast on said proposition shall be in favor 
thereof, the board of education of such district may thereafter, until 
such authority is revoked in like manner, levy annually for educational 
purposes, a tax in excess of one and one-half per cent, but not exceed- 
ing the percentage mentioned in said proposition, and for building 
purposes such a percentage that the aggregate levy shall not exceed 
three per cent ; proposed changes in such percentage for educational 
purposes, either to increase or decrease the same, but not below one 
and one-half per cent nor above two per cent, may be submitted at 
any time, and from time to time, to the voters of such district, at any 
such election, either at the instance of such board of education or by 



29 

petition for that purpose, addressed to such board and signed by at 
least five per cent of the voters of such district ascertained by the 
vote cast at the last preceding general election in said district ; and 
such board of education shall levy no general tax in excess of one and 
one-half per cent for educational purposes that shall not be authorized 
by the result of such election, ascertained as aforesaid, unless and 
until assented to by the voters of such district in like manner. 
Approved May 27, 1915. 



SANITATION MEASURE. 

An Act to amend sections ^, i^, J5, 114 and iiQ of an Act entitled, 
''An Act to establish and maintain a system of free schools," ap- 
proved and in force June 12, i^og. 

Section 1. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 
represented in the General Assembly: That sections 3, 15, 35, 114 and 
119 of an Act entitled, ''An Act to establish and maintain a system of 
free schools," approved and in force June 12, 1909, be and the same 
is hereby so amended as to read as follows : 

§ 3. The duties of the Superintendent of Public Instruction 
shall be : 

First. — To have his office at the seat of government, and to keep 
a record of all matters pertaining to the business of his office. 

Second. — To file all papers, reports and public documents trans- 
mitted to him by the school officers of the several counties, for each 
year separately ; and to keep and preserve all other public documents, 
books and papers relative to schools, coming into his hands as Super- 
intendent of Public Instruction. 

Third. — To supervise all the common and public schools in the 
State. 

Fourth. — To counsel and confer, in such manner as he may deem 
best, with experienced and practical teachers as to the best manner 
of conducting common schools. 

Fifth. — To advise and assist county superintendents of schools, 
addressing to them, from time to time, circular letters relating to the 
best manner of conducting schools, constructing schoolhouses, fur- 
nishing the same, and examining and procuring competent teachers. 

Sixth. To be ex officio a member of the board of trustees of the 
Southern Normal University. 

Seventh. — To make such rules and regulations as may be neces- 
sary to carry into efficient and uniform effect the provisions of this 
Act, and of all laws for establishing and maintaining free schools in 
the State. 

Eighth. — To be the legal adviser of school officers, and, when 
requested by any school officer, to give his opinion in writing upon 
any question arising under the school laws of the State. 

Ninth. — To hear and determine all controversies arising under 
the school laws of the State coming to him by appeal from a county 
superintendent of schools. 



30 

Tenth. — To grant certificates to such teachers as may be found 
qualified to receive them, and to suspend the operation of any State 
certificate for immorahty or other unprofessional conduct. 

Eleventh. — To visit such of the charitable institutions of the State 
as are educational in their character, to examine their facilities for 
instruction, and to prescribe forms for such reports as he may desire 
from their superintendents. 

Twelfth. — To report to the Governor, on or before the first of 
November, preceding each regular session of the General Assembly, 
the condition of the schools in the several counties of the State ; the 
number of schools which have been taught in each county in each of 
the preceding years, commencing on the first of July ; the number 
taught by men and women respectively; the number of pupils in at- 
tendance; the number of persons in each county under 21 years of 
age, and the number of persons between the ages of 12 and 21 years 
unable to read and write ; the amount of township funds ; the amount 
of interest on the State or common school fund, and on the township 
fund, annually paid out ; the amount raised by an ad valorem tax ; the 
amount annually expended for schools ; the number of schoolhouses, 
their kind and condition ; the number of townships and parts of town- 
ships in each county; the number of books purchased for the use of 
schools and the cost of the same; the value of apparatus purchased; 
the number of district libraries ; together with such other information 
and suggestions as he may deem important in relation to the schools 
and school laws, and the means of promoting education throughout 
the State, which report shall be submitted to the General Assembly at 
each regular session. 

Thirteenth. — To prepare with the advice of the State Board of 
Health, the State Architect and the State Fire Marshal, for school 
directors and boards of education specifications for the minimum 
requirements for the heating, ventilation, lighting, seating, water 
supply, toilets and safety against fire which will conserve the health 
and safety of the children attending the public schools. 

§ 15. It shall further be the duty of each county superintendent of 
schools : 

First. — To execute, upon notice by the county board, a new^ bond, 
conditioned and approved as the first bond. 

Second. — To sell township fund lands, issue certificates of pur- 
chase, report to the county board and Auditor of Public Accounts, 
and perform all other duties pertaining thereto. 

Third. — To register the names of all applicants for normal school 
and university scholarships ; to hold, or cause to be held, examinations 
for the same, and to perform such other duties as pertain thereto. 

Fourth. — To visit each public school in the county at least once a 
year, noting the methods of instruction, the branches taught, the text- 
books used, and the discipline, government and general condition of 
the schools ; in the performance of which duty he shall spend at least 
half his time, and more, if practicable in visiting ungraded schools. 

Fifth. — To give teachers and school officers such directions in the 
science, art and methods of teaching, and in regard to courses of 
■^ study, as he may deem expedient. 



31 

Sixth. — To act as the official adviser and constant assistant of the 
school officers and teachers in his county. In the performance of this 
duty he shall faithfully carry out the advice of the Superintendent of 
Public Instruction. 

Seventh. — To conduct a teachers' institute, to aid and encourage 
the formation of other teachers' meetings, and to assist in their man- 
agement. 

Eighth. — To labor in every practicable way to elevate the stand- 
ard of teaching and improve the condition of the common schools of 
his county. 

Ninth. — To examine at least once each year all books, accounts 
and vouchers of every township treasurer in his county, and, if he 
finds any irregularities in them, to report the same at once, in writing, 
to the trustees, whose duty it shall be to take immediately such action 
as the case demands. 

Tenth. — To examine all notes, bonds, mortgages, and other 
evidences of indebtedness which the township treasurer holds officially, 
and if he finds that the papers are not in proper form, or that the 
securities are insufficient, he shall so state, in writing, to the board of 
trustees. 

Eleventh. — To give notice of the election of trustees in such cases 
as are specified in section 24 of this Act. 

Twelfth. — To give notice of any regular or special election as 
required by section 107 of this Act. 

Thirteenth. — To investigate and determine all matters pertaining 
to changes in the boundaries of school districts which may come to 
him by appeal from the decision of the trustees of schools, and to in- 
form the township treasurer from whom the papers relating to the 
matter were received of his decision. , 

Fourteenth. — To file and keep all the poll books and returns of 
elections required to be returned to him and the reports and state- 
ments returned by township treasurers and trustees of schools. 

Fifteenth. — To hold meetings, at least quarterly, for the exam- 
ination of teachers. 

Sixteenth. — To grant certificates of qualification to teach to such 
persons as may be qualified to receive them, and to keep a record of 
all teachers to whom certificates have been granted, and of all teachers 
employed in his county. 

Seventeenth. — To notify the presidents of boards of trustees and 
the clerks of school districts, on or before September 30, annually, of 
the amount of money distributed by him to the township treasurer, 
with the date of distribution. 

Eighteenth. — To keep in his office a map of his county on a scale 
of not less than two inches to the mile, and to indicate thereon the 
boundary lines and numbers of all school districts. Districts shall be 
numbered consecutively. In case of the formation of a new district 
composed of parts of two or more counties, the county superintendents 
of such counties shall agree upon a numl)er by which such district shall 
be designated, which number shall not be a duplicate of any number 
in either of such counties. 



32 

Nineteenth. — To furnish the township treasurers a list of the 
districts in their respective townships with the consecutive numbers of 
the same. 

Twentieth. — To inspect the plans and specifications for the heat- 
ing, ventilation, lighting, seating, water supply, toilets and safety 
against fire for public school rooms and buildings submitted to him 
by boards of education or boards of directors, and to approve all those 
which comply substantially with the specifications prepared and pub- 
lished by the Superintendent of Public Instruction. 

Twenty-first. — To inspect all public schools under his supervision 
and notify in writing before the first day of April the board of school 
trustees or other boards exercising similar functions, whether the 
several schools in their jurisdiction have or have not been kept as 
required by law. 

Twenty-second. — To request the State Board of Health, the 
State Fire Marshal or the State Architect to inspect public school 
buildings which appear to him to be unsafe, insanitary or unfit for 
occupancy. It shall be the duty of these officials to inspect such build- 
ings and to state in writing in what particular they are unsafe, insan- 
itary or unfit for occupancy. Upon the receipt of such statement the 
county superintendent of schools shall condemn the building and 
notify in writing the board of directors or board of education, stating 
specifically the reasons for such condemnation. He shall also notify, 
in writing, the board of school trustees that the school so condemned 
is not kept as required by law. 

§ 35. At the regular semi-annual meetings on the first Mondays 
of April and October, the trustees shall ascertain the amount of funds 
subject to distribution, and shall appropriate and distribute the same 
as required by this section, and not otherwise. All valid claims shall 
be paid before distribution, in manner following: First, the compen- 
sation of the treasurer; second, the cost of publishing the annual 
statement; third, the cost of a record book, if any; fourth, the cost 
of dividing school lands and making plats. The balance shall be 
apportioned and distributed to the districts and parts of districts in 
the township in which schools have been kept as required by law 
during the preceding year ending June 30, according to the number 
of persons returned under 21 years of age. The funds so distributed 
shall be credited to the respective districts and parts of districts. 

When the board of trustees has had notice from the county 
superintendent of schools that a district has not kept school as re- 
quired by law, the part of the distributive fund apportioned to such 
district shall be withheld until the county superintendent has given 
notice in writing that the requirements of the law have been complied 
with. The amount withheld shall then be placed to the credit of such 
district : Provided, in cases where the schoolhouses were already in 
use for school purposes July 1, 1915, and do not comply with the 
minimum requirements for the health and safety of the pupils as set 
forth by the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the distributive 
fund shall not be withheld until after March 1, 1917. 

§ 114. The board of directors shall have the following additional 
duties : 



33 

First. — To make, at the annual election of directors, to the voters 
there present, a detailed report of receipts and expenditures, and 
transmit a copy of the same within five days to the township treasurer. 

Second. — To report to the county superintendent within ten days 
the names of all teachers employed, with the dates of the beginning 
and end of their contracts. 

Third. — To provide for the revenue necessary to maintain schools 
in their districts. 

Fourth. — To determine, in case of a district composed of parts of 
two or more townships, which treasurer is to receive the taxes of the 
district, and to notify the collectors in writing accordingly. 

Fifth. — To adopt and enforce all necessary rules and regulations 
for the management and government of the public schools of their 
district. 

Sixth. — To visit and inspect the public schools as the good of the 
schools may require. 

Seventh. — To appoint all teachers and fix the amount of their 
salaries. 

Eighth. — To direct what branches of study shall be taught, what 
textbooks and apparatus shall be used, and to enforce uniformity of 
textbooks in the public schools ; but they shall not permit books to be 
changed oftener than once in four years. 

Ninth. — To establish and keep in operation for at least seven 
months in each year, and longer if practicable, a sufficient number of 
free schools for the accommodation of all persons in the district over 
the age of six and under twenty-one years and to secure for all such 
persons the right and opportunity to an equal education in such schools. 

Tenth. — To purchase, at the expense of the district, a sufficient 
number of textbooks used to supply children whose parents are unable 
to buy them. Such textbooks shall be loaned only, and the directors 
shall require the teacher to see that they are properly cared for and 
returned at the end of each term of school. 

Eleventh. — To deliver to the township treasurer on or before the 
seventh day of July, annually, all teachers' schedules made and 
certified as required by law. 

Twelfth. — To pay no public money to any teacher unless such 
teacher at the time of his or her employment shall have held a certifi- 
cate of qualification obtained under the provisions of this Act, and 
shall have kept and' furnished schedules as required by this. Act, and 
shall have satisfactorily accounted for books, apparatus and other 
property of the district that he may have taken in charge. 

Thirteenth. — To cause a copy of the township treasurers' report 
of the financial condition of the district to be entered upon the records 
of the district, and to post the same at the front door of the building 
where the annual election of directors is held. 

§ 119. It shall not be lawful for a board of directors to purchase 
or locate a schoolhouse site, or to purchase, build or move a school- 
house, or to levy a tax to extend schools beyond nine months, without 
a vote of the people at an election called and conducted as required by 
section 198 of this Act. A majority of the votes cast shall be neces- 
sary to authorize the directors to act. If no locality shall receive a 



34 

majority of the votes, the directors may select a suitable site. The 
site selected by either method shall be the school site for such district. 
Before erecting or remodeling a public school building the board of 
directors or the board of education in districts containing fewer than 
100,000 inhabitants shall submit the plans and specifications respecting 
heating, ventilation, lighting, seating, water supply, toilets and safety 
against fire to the county superintendent of schools for his approval. 
Approved June 26, 1915. 



WARRANTS. 



An Act to amend an Act entitled, "An Act to provide for the appoint- 
ment of school directors, and members of the hoard of education in 
certain cases," approved May 2g, iSjg, in force July i, iSy^, as 
amended by subsequent Acts, by adding two (2 J new sections to be 
known as sections five (^) and six (6), empowering school directors 
and boards of education in certain school districts to draw and issue 
warrants in anticipation of taxes levied by the proper authorities 
for school purposes and validating warrants theretofore issued by 
said school directors or boards of education in certain cases. 

Section 1. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 
represented in the General Assembly: That an Act entitled, ''An Act 
to provide for the appointment of school directors, and members of 
the board of education in certain cases," approved May 29, 1879, in 
force July 1, 1879, as amended by subsequent Acts, be and the same 
is hereby amended by adding two (2) new sections to be known as 
sections five (5) and six (6), as follows: 

§ 5. That whenever there is no money in the hands of the treas- 
urer of any school district, to which this Act shall apply, for educa- 
tional or building purposes, it shall be lawful for the school directors 
or the board of education of such district to draw and issue warrants 
against and in anticipation of any taxes already levied for educational 
or building purposes, to the extent of seventy-five per centum of the 
total amount of any such taxes levied. Warrants drawn and issued 
under the provisions of this section shall show upon their face that 
they are payable solely from said taxes when collected, and not other- 
wise, and shall be received by any collector of taxes in payment of the 
taxes against which they are issued, and which taxes against which 
said warrants are drawn shall be set apart and held for their payment. 
Every warrant issued under this section shall bear interest, payable 
only out of the taxes against which it shall be drawn, at a rate not to 
exceed five per centum, per annum, from the date of its issuance until 
paid, or until notice shall be given by publication in a newspaper or 
otherwise, that the money for the payment of said warrant is available, 
and that it will be paid upon presentation. 

1. The application of this Act relates only to the school districts that 
include the cities of Alton, Carlinville, Galena, La Harpe, Lake Forest, 
Macomb^ Rockford and Waukegan. 

§ 6. All warrants heretofore drawn, issued and disposed of by 
the school directors or board of education of any school district, to 



35 

which this Act apphes, for educational or building purposes are hereby 
validated, and insofar as such warrants are outstanding- and unpaid, 
are hereby made legal and valid obligations of the school district or 
corporate body issuing the same. 

§ 2. Whereas, an emergency exists for the immediate taking effect 
of this Act, therefore it shall be in force from and after its passage. 

Approved May 20, 1915. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



019 727 996 5 



